Share
Bonus Chapter
Related chapters
75 Days Bonus Chapter
I slip out into the hallway and start my search for Aaron. After checking the storeroom, the makeshift armory, and the soldier's quarters, I finally find him in his temporary office. He's sitting behind a large wooden desk, and he's busy looking through papers with food levels, ammunition levels, and the current population breakdown. He looks up when I burst in, and he frowns."Maddy," he says, using the nickname people only use when I'm incredibly pissed off, "what's wrong?""Are you aware of the bartering system between the soldiers and the survivors?""What?""Some of the female survivors-like Rose-have been trading sexual favors for extra food! I walked in on Rose and one of your soldiers fooling around in the storeroom, and just now I noticed she had extra food. We got into it, and she admitted to it, and I noticed at least four other girls that are in on it too. Please tell me you didn't know..."He grips the edges of the desk so tightly I'm surprised the wood doesn't groan unde
75 Days Bonus Chapter
"Do what? Sleep with a soldier for extra food? No, I wouldn't. Everyone here should get the same amount of food-with an exception for the pregnant women we have here. They need extra, and nobody disputes that.""But-""Felicia, what Rose and those other girls are doing is wrong. You shouldn't agree with them.""The world isn't the same anymore, Madison. We have to do everything in our power to survive these days," Felicia says, sounding weary. "You may not like the way things are now, but this is how it has to be. Rose is staying alive the best way she knows how. We can't all be strong women like you."I'm so shocked by how hopeless she sounds that all I can manage to say is, "I'm not strong.""Yes, you are. You're stronger than me, Daisy, and Rose. And you're stronger than a lot of the people here. That's why Aaron likes getting your opinion on things. He knows what I do-that you're made to survive this.""Felicia, I am not made to survive. I'm just lucky that Aaron found me. If he h
75 Days Bonus Chapter
In the morning, I wake up to find my shoulders and my back mottled with dark, ugly bruises. Some are the size of the palm of my hand, and others are much larger, but they all spread across my skin like splotches of marker. My entire body aches, and I don't feel like moving, but I know I have to get out of bed if I want to find out what Aaron is going to do with the soldiers.I take a quick second to relax, before pushing myself up and off the cot. My muscles scream in protest, and I grit my teeth against the burning pain the slightest movement causes. I can't remember ever feeling this sore before, and it's only going to get worse throughout the day. And today I won't have any aspirin to dull the pain, not that the aspirin did a whole lot last night, but it was still better than nothing.Once I get to the door, I lean on the frame to catch my breath and rest my already sore muscles. Felicia sees my struggle, and she gives me a shoulder to lean against. "Are you gonna be okay, Madison?
75 Days Bonus Chapter
The man who objected shuts up and pulls his daughter closer to his side."That's what I thought," Aaron says coldly, looking at the rest of the room again. "This is where things get difficult. What kind of punishment is fitting for the crime he committed? I can't throw him out and leave him to die. I can't charge him with aggravated assault and imprison him. I can't put him on probation. So, this is what I've settled on," he says, bringing the whip out from behind his back.There's a collective gasp from the room as people take in the long, black leather torture device in Aaron's hands."This isn't ideal, and I'm by no means happy to be doing this, but something has to be done. Now, I want all of you to hear me when I say this: the bartering system is over! There will be no more trading sex for food. If I hear of anyone else participating in this, you will be punished!"Aaron turns around and shifts his grip on the whip. He raises his hand and flicks his wrist, and the thin end of the
75 Days Special Chapter 1
Twelve Months AgoDr. Carter Richards pushed his thick-rimmed glasses higher up on his nose as he studied the chart in his hands. Carter was a short, older man, possibly in his early fifties. His dark green eyes were hidden beneath bushy eyebrows, he had a long, hooked nose, and a slight weight problem that caused him to break out in sweat at the most unfortunate of times. He had never been much of a looker, but the government hadn't wanted him for his appearance, but instead for the brain and intelligence he possessed.Carter was capable of doing things most other people weren't. He could always see the big picture, and that was what made him the prime candidate for the project he currently found himself the head of. After Carter had read through the reports-twice, just to make sure he hadn't missed anything the first time-he bent to examine the subject on the table in front of him. It was bound down with leather straps, and it squirmed in an attempt to free itself as its eyes rolled
75 Days Special Chapter 2
"Breakfast is ready," I shout, loud enough to be heard over the ruckus in the living room. Walking over to the kitchen doorway, I lean against the frame and watch the contest going on. Both Ryder and Aaron are sitting on opposite ends of the living room table, clasping each other's right hands. Their free hands are behind their backs, and the others are watching and cheering them on, waiting to see who wins the arm wrestling contest.As I watch, Ryder begins to get the upper hand. Slowly but surely, Aaron's smaller arm begins to lower to the table, but it doesn't go down. It hovers just above the wood while Aaron struggles to hang on for just one more minute. Before Aaron can recover, Ryder slams his arm down on the table, effectively winning the contest.Reese and Naomi cheer while Todd and Madison pat Aaron on the back. "It's okay, Aaron. You'll get him next time," Madison says.Aaron smiles good naturedly, and leans across the table to offer Ryder his hand. T
75 Days Special Chapter 3
Hours later, the jeep jerks to a halt in front of the only car dealership in the area. Reese pockets the car keys, but he doesn't exit the car. He just sits there rubbing his temple as if he has a migraine, and I wait impatiently for him. After a thirty minute drive into town from the middle of nowhere, I'm feeling anxious to stretch my feet, and to get this done, and waiting for him does not make me happy.Finally Reese slides out of the jeep, slamming the door shut behind him. Rolling my eyes at his attitude, I head into the dealership parking lot to look for anything that will be able to fit us all. The sound of Reese's boots clunking against the pavement is the only indication that he's deciding to follow me, and I hope he's paying more attention to our surroundings than I think he is.I constantly scan our surroundings, always on the lookout for any sign of movement. The gun belted to my side feels right at home on my hip, and with it always within my reach, I fee
75 Days Special Chapter 4
When we get back home after our supply run, Ryder and Aaron go over every inch of Reese's new truck, looking for imperfections. I catch snippets of their conversation, but I don't understand most of it since they use the proper mechanic terms, and I've never been that great with the subject of vehicles. The best I can do is drive one, and even then I'm a little iffy about it. But if it were to break down somewhere, I would be in so much trouble.Rather than stay outside and watch the guys look over our new ride, I head into the kitchen. There is an open can of peaches left over from the lunch the others had about an hour ago, and I dig in with a plastic fork. Daisy sits at the kitchen table, sipping at a bottle of water. She has this look in her eyes that I've noticed every once in a while. It's a look that says "I've lost someone important to me; someone that I'll never get back". Madison told me that Daisy lost her twin sister Rose when their school safe haven got overrun a
Latest chapter
